Love.

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I painted this for a fundraiser. My friend (a total getter extraordinaire') Pam, has organized this event to raise money for one of her students that has Leukemia. The student is a single mother, who is a star student and wonderful young person. The fundraiser will take place at a local wine tasting shop called "Taste" next Thursday evening, here in Mobile. To make a donation, or attend this event please contact Pam ; pamjohnson@usouthal.edu be well, L.

Yellow apple. Lydia Host daily painting a day 6x6

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Trying something a little different in terms of paint medium. I have mixed my own, but somehow I am inconsistent with my batches and so I started buying pre-mixed from a fancy hand made art supply company, but that got too expensive, so I found a nice inexpensive (because why should it be expensive ? all of the ingredients are fairly cheap) medium ....and I like it! I will give names tomorrow, because I left it in my studio and can't remember. cheers, L

True love is good for you!

I love beans! Give me beans in a chili, or a burrito, or on a tostada any day and I am happy. I love hot sauce as well....add a little to whatever it is I'm eating...magic! I just read an article about how both things are surprisingly good for you, which is awesome news. Now if only there is an article out there about how ice cream is actually good for you, I'd be feeling pretty healthy.

What is it that you love to eat? (is this a thinly veiled prompt for painting subjects?).

L.

make a cake!

Today I had two little ones all day, and no naps were in sight, so we baked a cake! I used a recipe that my friend and fellow artist Vikki Finch wrote about in her food column last Wednesday. Her recipe was for 'Best Strawberry cake ever'...but I had blueberries, and did I mention that I had two three-year old sous -chefs? Anyway it tastes good! The title of this post and her name are the links to her article...I can't wait to make the Muesli. L.

I had a request for this sort of painting...I struggle with the cliche' and how to avoid it.

I think in this instance...well it looks like an illustration from Robinson Crusoe!

Have a good weekend.

L.

Orange crush. Lydia Host daily painting a day 8x6

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Okay, enough with the Zinnias already! But this is my last bunch...they are on the wane. Went with the board today, I really like that it looks almost like chalk or something. As I struggle and strive to paint pictures that express things in the way that I'd like to, I try and remember that a professor from college who I admire greatly, and who is a fantastic artist, once said " I am just trying to paint one good painting..." several of us stood there with our mouths open in shock, stunned to find that our idol didn't think that he was there yet. It was a defining moment for me, and I try to remember it when I feel like a schmuck with a brush. L.

Sweetie. Lydia Host daily painting a day6x 8

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Back to stretched canvas today. I painted this with no under painting or ground,which is weird when you get used to using a mid-color as a base, it changes the whole tone of the painting. I like the darker ground because it gives my work a tiny bit more presence (I think). Anyway this one seems so sweet and light compared to yesterdays. L.

Two hearts. Lydia Host daily painting a day6x 8

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This was painted on a gessoed board. I haven't painted on board for a while, and I am always surprised by how much I enjoy it. The paint sits up high, and the non- springy surface is nice. I use Daniel Smith gesso and as I have noted before, it absorbs much of the oil in the paint giving the surface a soft almost powdery look. I will spray this with re-touch varnish before it goes out to its new home, giving a nice depth back to the rich colors. cheers, L.

Zannie Zinnias. Lydia Host daily painting a day 8x16

Vacations are good. I thought that I'd be painting all week, but instead I read a few good books, watched my boys play in the surf, and really relaxed. One day I tried to paint, but it was terrible, and then the next day a friendly laid back 'beach rat' decided to come onto our deck and then saunter off when we jumped up and down and banged our chairs...it was a fluffy 'hamster looking' rat at least, but I couldn't imagine painting and looking down to see a rat (even a cute one) sniffing around my feet!!! My lovely Zinnia-ful neighbor was also gone last week, but came home and immediately went to work pruning them back so they will continue to bloom...I was one of the many beneficiaries of this activity...so this might be a zinnia-ful week.

Be well,

L.

Lucky Lemons. Lydia Host daily painting a day 8x8

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I love painting fruit piled up in a glass container. My family and I are heading to the Gulf for a few days of sand, snacks and books galore! I don't think that I will have internet access, so while I will continue to paint, you will have a break from my daily emails. :) Have a great weekend and week! cheers,

Adoration. Lydia Host daily painting a day 12x12

This is another 'sculpture pose'. This one is from an ivory relief by Pierre-Etienne Monnot (1657-1733). I bought this book of Iconic sculpture and art from a thrift store yesterday, and there are so many pieces of art that I have never seen (this is not so surprising actually..). This is painted on a framed board that said something like ' smile you'll feel better' or something in its first life as a mass produced inspirational saying! L.

Devotion Lydia Host daily painting a day 8x16

I am always intrigued by the mother- child relationship. It is such the ultimate. This painting is based on an old sculpture...they were my models. I have the utmost respect for every mother everywhere, its such a hard and self sacrificing job, while conversely being the most enriching rewarding occupation ever. Even the 'bad' mothers out there didn't mean to be 'bad'...that's just the power of the job. I really believe that everyone is just doing the best that they are able. L.

Knight in shining armour. Lydia Host painting a day 5x7

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Well sometimes the 'what to paint' topic is easy! I look forward to that one diet coke that I allow myself everyday. Maybe some day it will be discovered that it has healthful properties the way that red wine does....one can always hope. L.

P.s. a friend wrote me about yesterdays post: "Now you and I both know that the mason jar is the real star of that painting. I suppose he is the tired old guy who keeps on putting up with all of her sh_ t.

Floozy. Lydia Host daily painting a day 8x8

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You know the sort; seemingly slightly drunk at all times, stands too close in conversations, careening laughter. And yet somehow you just can't help but adore her.

L.

Decisions. Lydia Host daily painting a day 8x16

This is a bit larger than the norm for a daily, but I am running low on my small canvas', and as I have said before, it feels so good to get larger after painting small for a while. These Zinnias were given to me by my zinnia growing pal and neighbor...I am really going to grow these next year, they are so very bountiful. This painting used a lot of light pigment, I was trying for a 'restrained' palette. Just like with the brighter bunch of zinnias, this pale pink eludes me! L

sweet but aggressive. Lydia Host painting a day 5x7

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Mexican Petunias are so lovely. You can just stick a piece in the ground and it grows! Great when it starts, but then its hard to contain. I had fun painting the glass jar, which was the impetus for the whole painting. L.

Party over.Lydia Host daily painting a day 6x6

I almost gave up on this one. I wanted to paint the stacked cups, but felt that the teapot should also be in the scene. It felt like a project in shadows and reflections. I am happy with the way that it turned out I guess, although its not the sort of cheery scene that I started out to paint...maybe thats a good thing?

L.

Tuscan Lunch. Lydia Host 8x8

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Wouldn't we all love to have this veiw for our lunch time? I have been to Italy one time, Florence, and Milan, and it was grand. Tuscany is a goal for the future. My Parents went to a cooking school for a week, and learned all sorts of delicious things and had this sort of incredible veiw daily. I enjoyed painting and dreaming today. L.

Tea time.Lydia Host daily painting a day 6x6

I have made sure that my boys know how to have a tea party. Is that part of raising a wonderful husband for some lucky lass out there? We'll see. L.

Honey dew.Lydia Host daily painting a day 8x8

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My Niece Katy brought me this lovely honeydew melon. We enjoyed half of it for breakfast on Sunday, this half was destined for the studio. How fantastic are natures colors? I found upon my close inspection of this melon that although there is plenty of white, the saturated yellowish-green was truly the dominant color-beautifully restrained.

Baby eggplants.Lydia Host daily painting a day 8x8

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I painted these baby eggplants with Mary Elizabeth this morning. I was going to go Plein aire painting this morning, but woke up feeling yucky, so this just seemed the easier route. I am always happy when my paintings look like paintings, if that makes any sense! This one seemed to flow off the brush which I really needed today.

L.

veiw for a room.Lydia Host daily painting a day 11x14

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I started this weeks ago on location, and just finished it in the studio. When we arrived at this location there were not clouds, and as we painted they started to arrive on the horizon, and rise...I am sure that is the way it happens every day, I just have not ever witnessed it before.

L.

Don't be humble.Lydia Host daily painting a day 8x8

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I am painting a REALLY large version of these flowers also (32x48). So in a way this one is my study for the larger piece, although I started the big one first. I really enjoyed toying with the size of objects in my paintings last week, and so am continuing along that line. For me the negative spaces or back ground, is just as important in this painting as the primary focus. The flowers seem sort of 'braced' with in the frame of the painting. When I finish biggie, I'll post it.

L.

chewy life.Lydia Host daily painting a day 6x6

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Yeah, well I used to smoke, now I just eat more candy when I am a little stressed. Chewy Lifesavers are not on my regular rotation (I prefer Red hots or some dark chocolate)but these were really good..nice bouncy but not sticky texture. As for painting them, I enjoyed the transparency and variation of color even within each piece. Also sticking with my 'larger than life size ' food theme from yesterday.

L.

ship of fools. 12x20

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This is a bigger than usual painting for a painting a day...its 12x24 inches. I felt that it had to have a nice long vertical format and didn't have anything smaller. It makes it seem both sillier and more important to have this type of subject larger than life. So much white in its various shades. It was fun and I am not completely finished yet. I will go back in when its a bit dryer. And posting it allowed me to see a few compositional problems, one that I can fix is the shadow in the upper right corner behind the 'boat' that is in alignment with the edge ... it will be changed!ei9thsmwcf

L.